22 Indian crew members stranded on the ship that crashed into Baltimore bridge could be on board for weeks, report says

• 22 crew are trapped aboard the Dali, the ship that crashed into a Baltimore bridge.
• The Indian nationals have food, water, and fuel supplies on board, per The New York Times.
• The crew is unharmed but remains stranded, awaiting debris to be cleared.

The crew of the container ship that crashed into the Baltimore bridge five days ago are still trapped on board the stricken vessel, a report says.

The Dali crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early hours of Tuesday, causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River. Six construction workers who were working on the bridge were killed.

All of the ship's 22 crew members were reported to be unharmed after the collision but have been unable to leave the vessel, according to The New York Times.

They must wait until enough debris is cleared to free the vessel and could remain on board for weeks, the paper reported.

The ship's crew has been praised for swiftly alerting authorities on Tuesday that the vessel had lost power, leading to cars being redirected away from the bridge and likely preventing more fatalities.

The crew, all Indian nationals, are likely continuing to work to maintain the ship as they remain stranded, the Times said.

Officials said on Saturday that salvage crews worked to lift the first piece of the collapsed bridge from the water using cranes.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said workers were cutting a portion of the collapsed bridge into smaller sections to make it easier to remove, eventually allowing other vessels to access the site.

Chris James, who works for a consulting firm assisting the ship's management company, Synergy Marine, said that the crew has sufficient supplies of food, water, and fuel to keep the ship's generators going, per The Times.

James said that once the National Transportation Safety Board and the Coast Guard finish their investigations, "we'll look at potentially swapping the crew out and getting them home."

Those onshore have devised inventive ways to contact the crew members who do not have consistent internet access on board.

Joshua Messick, the executive director of religious nonprofit the Baltimore International Seafarers' Center, told The Times that he had sent the crew two WiFi hot spots and had written a letter to the captain that was delivered by another ship.

The crew members seem to be faring well, given the circumstances.

Andrew Middleton, who runs Apostleship of the Sea, a program that ministers to sailors coming through the port, told The Times that he had been in regular contact with two crew members on board.

"When I've asked how they're doing, their answers range from 'good' to 'great,'" he said. "So, by their own accounts, they're OK."

The Dali is owned by Grace Ocean, a Singapore-based firm, and had been chartered by the Danish shipping company Maersk.

According to Grace Ocean, the vessel, which was carrying 4,700 shipping containers, was bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka when the crash took place.